Apparatus and method for capturing and displaying segmented content

Abstract

A method for providing content includes determining a viewing direction of a user viewing a content item comprising a plurality of video streams, selecting two or more video streams of the content item based on the viewing direction of the user and directional data associated with the plurality of video streams, decoding the two or more video streams to form two or more decoded video streams, stitching the two or more decoded video streams to form a combined image, and causing the combined image to be displayed to the user. Systems perform similar steps and non-transitory computer readable storage mediums each store one or more computer programs.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for providing content comprising:
 determining a viewing direction of a user viewing a content item comprising a plurality of video streams; 
 selecting two or more video streams of the content item based on the viewing direction of the user and directional data associated with the plurality of video streams, wherein the directional data was recorded by a capture system that recorded the content item; 
 decoding the two or more video streams to form two or more decoded video streams; 
 stitching the two or more decoded video streams to form a combined image, wherein the stitching comprises selectively stitching overlapping portions of the two or more decoded video streams that fall within a view area of the user when the view area of the user is in a first location and not stitching overlapping portions of the two or more decoded video streams that fall outside of the view area of the user when the view area of the user is in the first location; and 
 causing the combined image to be displayed to the user. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content item comprises an omnidirectional video. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content item comprises a streaming video and wherein selecting the two or more video streams comprises retrieving only the selected video streams among the plurality of video streams. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of video streams is captured by a separate camera in a multi-directional camera assembly. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the viewing direction of the user comprises one or more of a head direction and a gaze direction. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: determining the view area based on the viewing direction. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein decoding the two or more video streams comprises selectively decoding portions of the two or more video streams that fall within the view area. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: adjusting the combined image based on parameters associated with a display device. 
     
     
       9. A system for providing content comprising:
 a video decoder; 
 a graphic processor; and 
 a central processor configured to:
 determine a viewing direction of a user viewing a content item comprising a plurality of video streams; 
 selectively retrieve two or more video streams of the content item based on the viewing direction of the user and directional data associated with the plurality of video streams, wherein the directional data was recorded by a capture system that recorded the content item; 
 cause the video decoder to decode the two or more video streams to form two or more decoded video streams; 
 cause the graphic processor to stitch the two or more decoded video streams to form a combined image, wherein the stitching comprises selectively stitching overlapping portions of the two or more decoded video streams that fall within a view area of the user when the view area of the user is in a first location and not stitching overlapping portions of the two or more decoded video streams that fall outside of the view area of the user when the view area of the user is in the first location; and 
 cause the combined image to be displayed to the user. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the content item comprises an omnidirectional video. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the content item comprises a streaming video and wherein selecting the two or more video streams comprises retrieving only the selected video streams among the plurality of video streams. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of video streams is captured by a separate camera in a multi-directional camera assembly. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the viewing direction of the user comprises one or more of a head direction and a gaze direction. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 9 , the central processor is further configured to determine the view area based on the viewing direction. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the video decoder decodes the two or more video streams by selectively decoding portions of the two or more video streams that fall within the view area. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the central processor is further configured to cause the combined image to be adjusted based on parameters associated with a display device. 
     
     
       17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more computer programs configured to cause a processor based system to execute steps comprising:
 determining a viewing direction of a user viewing a content item comprising a plurality of video streams; 
 selecting two or more video streams of the content item based on the viewing direction of the user and directional data associated with the plurality of video streams, wherein the directional data was recorded by a capture system that recorded the content item; 
 decoding the two or more video streams to form two or more decoded video streams; 
 stitching the two or more decoded video streams to form a combined image, wherein the stitching comprises selectively stitching overlapping portions of the two or more decoded video streams that fall within a view area of the user when the view area of the user is in a first location and not stitching overlapping portions of the two or more decoded video streams that fall outside of the view area of the user when the view area of the user is in the first location; and 
 causing the combined image to be displayed to the user. 
 
     
     
       18. An apparatus for capturing content comprising:
 a plurality of cameras forming a multi-directional camera assembly; 
 at least one inertial measurement unit coupled to the multi-directional camera assembly; 
 a video encoder; 
 a memory device; and 
 a processor configured to:
 cause the plurality of cameras to capture a plurality of video streams; 
 record directional data for the plurality of video streams based on the at least one inertial measurement unit; 
 cause the video encoder to separately encode each of the plurality of video streams; and 
 store, in the memory device, a plurality of encoded video streams and the directional data for playback by a playback device; 
 
 wherein the playback device is configured to selectively stitch overlapping portions of two or more decoded video streams that fall within a view area of a user when the view area of the user is in a first location and not stitch overlapping portions of the two or more decoded video streams that fall outside of the view area of the user when the view area of the user is in the first location. 
 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising: a communication device configured to stream the plurality of encoded video streams and the directional data to a server accessible by the playback device.